No. 3 In Nets, No. 1 In Fantasy

Mason Improving At The Pro Level.

Whether it's baseball or football, the Panthers' third goalie devotes much time to his computer, on which he analyzes statistics, picks up and drops players and works trades.

He's good at it. Mason is days away from winning his third straight fantasy baseball championship. He finished second in football last season but strives for a better spot this time.

In his head-to-head football league, he started 2-0. He says his fiancee and high school sweetheart, Courtney, is sick of it.

"It's going to be grounds for divorce when we get married next summer," Mason said. "But I love sports and especially fantasy sports."

His ultimate goal, however, is for his friends back home in Red Deer, Alberta, to be able to draft him in their fantasy hockey leagues.

"That'd be awesome," Mason said.

Mason, 27, waits in the background, hoping his strong training camp and maybe a solid start to the AHL season could push the Panthers into trading backup goalie Jani Hurme.

Mason, one of the minor leagues' top goalies for years, has become one of the most popular figures in San Antonio hockey. He's recognizable with shaved head, goatee and smile.

Even Sunday, his first day back in town as the Panthers arrived to continue training camp, Mason was out making an appearance. He was at an amusement park, signing autographs and talking with children along with the Spurs' Bruce Bowen and the WNBA Silver Stars' Tai Dillard.

"I enjoy just being around people," Mason said. "I'm just a normal guy, so it's an honor when people come up and want to talk to you and be around you. I feel fortunate that people react to me like that."

Mason was instrumental in starting the Rampage from scratch last season. Even though the team started its expansion year with a 1-6-1 record, Mason helped lead it into the playoffs with a 25-18-6 record and a .921 save percentage.

He was good enough that Panthers General Manager Rick Dudley traded goalie Wade Flaherty to the Nashville Predators.

"Chris is so dedicated and hard-working," goalie coach Clint Malarchuk said. "He's just a really combative, competitive person. He's a battler. I call him `Guts' because he's full of guts. Since I've known him, he's done everything in his power to get better. People like that usually eventually succeed."

Drafted by New Jersey in 1995, Mason spent four years in Nashville's organization, playing four NHL games. He's hoping to become an NHL regular soon, and his $400,000 salary for the NHL -- modest compared to Hurme's $1.1 million -- could spawn a trade.

"I'm like a lot of guys in the same situation," Mason said. "There's a lot of guys who can play at this level, but it's hard in our position to get an op-portunity because there's so many good-caliber goalies at this level.

"I can only really control what I do. I just try to come here to camp and give myself an opportunity. Hopefully that gives them an option if they want to take it."

Because Mason played so well last season, the Panthers gave him a salary bump from $35,000 to $80,000.

"He's exactly the type of person we want," Dudley said. "He's a high-character, low-maintenance guy that's very community-minded and very team-oriented."

Malarchuk thinks he'll soon play in the NHL.

"He needs an opportunity. He needs a break," Malarchuk said. "He will get it eventually, whether it's this year, next year or with another organization. I don't know, but people like him just don't go away."